I had them all against me except my sister and my English friends,
and my saintly guide, Father Vincent de Paul, who assured me that I
was by no means bound to accept a man like that; and as for silencing
scandal, it was much better to live it down. That devout widow,
Madame de Miramion, had endured such an abduction as mine at hands of
Bussy Rabutin, and had been rescued by her mother-in-law, who had
raised the country-people. No one thought a bit the worse of her for
it, and she was one of the foremost in her works of charity.
This gave me the comfort of knowing that I was right, and I knew
besides that such a marriage would be a sore grief to my brother, so
I resolved to hold out against all persuasions; but it was a wretched
time that now began, for Lamont would not desist from persecuting me
with his suit, and I had no remission from him either at Court or in
my own house, for if I excluded him my mother admitted him. My
mother dragged me to Court as a matter of form, but I was unwelcome
there, and was plainly shown that it was so.
The Queen could not forgive me for being rescued by the Frondeurs;
Mademoiselle was in the Prince's interest; the Prince was dominant,
and all his satellites made it a point of honour that none of them
should fail in carrying any point. Even Cecile d'Aubepine followed
the stream. Her husband was very angry with her, and said I had put
on grand airs, and made myself ridiculous; and the foolish little
thing not only obeyed but believed him, though he neglected her as
much as ever.
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